Read the Bible--Who? Me?

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The Bible is not what might be called a "fun book" to read. It is often difficult to understand. It deals with challenging and, sometimes, depressing subjects like sin and doom. On the other hand, it also details a life of joy and ultimate peace in the presence of God.

If you just read the negative parts, you find all the things you shouldn't be doing and the consequences are disastrous. You can also read the joyous proclamations of victory and convince yourself that everything is O.K.

The Bible is like other things you may have experienced in life. There is more to be known than you can get in a one-time exposure. There are negative and positive aspects to pursue. The one-verse application is inadequate. If you really want to understand it, you need to make sure you are reading it with some insight into it's depths. 

I would venture to guess that you would not understand the finer aspects of a manuel on shoeing a horse if you began in the middle with one sentence. The same goes for building a skyscraper. You need to know how to interpret the book. Get some help. Read with someone who has some experience in it. Of course, if you have some experience, try to start at a place where you know what is going on. Learn a little about the history of the people you are reading about. What were their customs? What was the time frame?

There is more to this than you might have thought on first glance, but you not need be fearful or avoid the whole thing. Take it slow and get another opinion.